Ministry of Minority Affairs 11th Floor, Paryavaran Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 Program Report September 2013 Leadership Development Training Program at Guntur District (Andhra Pradesh) under the Scheme for Leadership Development of Minority Women www.ramkyfoundation.org
Executive summary The status of women in the country, particularly those from the disadvantaged sections of the society, is unfavourable. A girl child suffers from discrimination even before birth and also after birth in the allocation of household resources. Most women in the rural areas suffer from double burden of carrying out less quantifiable work. Women in the minority communities fare badly too. They are not just a minority, but the 'marginalised majority' and are sidelined in decision making in the family, and usually cut off from full involvement in the workings of the community and form an equal share in the rewards from social institutions. Empowerment of women person is not only essential for equity, but constitutes a critical element in our fight for poverty reduction, economic growth and strengthening of civil society. Empowering women, especially mothers, is even more important as it is in homes that she nourishes, nurture and moulds the character of her offspring. Leadership, in the context of this scheme means, empowerment of women from the minority communities and emboldening them to move out of the confines of their home and community and assume leadership roles and assert their rights, collectively or individually, in accessing services, facilities, skills, and opportunities besides claiming their due share of development benefits of the government for improving their lives and living conditions. The report illustrates the activity of Ministry of Minority Affairs program Trainings for Leadership Development of Minority Women Residential Mode, under the Scheme for Leadership Development of Minority Women at Narasaraopet of Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh.
Acknowledgements First of all we would like to thank Ministry of Minority Affairs- Government of India, and Shri. Anurag Bajpai, Director- Leadership-Ministry of Minority Affairs, for granting this project. We are very grateful to Shri. Shaik Abdul Azeez, District Minority Welfare Officer, Guntur, for his guidance and supervision during implementation of the training programs. Management and support staff of hotel/accommodation for their timely and cordial hospitality. Apart from this, we would like to thank the external faculty for the program from different institutions, who were always there to support the execution team of Ramky Foundation. Regards, M. V. Rami Reddy Head-Operations Ramky Foundation
Contents Introduction... 5 1.1 Background of the Project... 5 1.2 Objective of the study... 6 1.3 About Organization... 6 Methodology... 7 1.4 Selection of Beneficiaries... 7 1.5 Accommodation... 7 Fig 1: Accommodation Facility... 8 1.6 Food... 8 Fig 2: Food Provided... 8 1.7 Trainers... 9 Fig 3: Feedback given by Trainee... 9 1.8 Training Technique... 10 Fig 4: Group Activities... 10 1.9 Training Material... 10 Fig 5: Material distribution... 11 1.10 Appreciation... 11 Fig 6: Prize distribution... 12 1.11 GPS Photos... 12 1.12 Organizational website update... 12 1.13 Successful Completion of the Program/ Feedback... 12
Introduction 1.1 Background of the Project The status of women in Indian society is a much-debated subject. There are points of view put forth defending or condemning the position occupied by or imposed upon women in the Indian subcontinent. The controversial subject of minority women rights has assumed great importance and is a burning issue today. Equality of men and women and non-discrimination on the basis of gender constitutes one of the vital human rights concerns, finding expression in all international instruments as well as in the Indian Constitution. In reality, however, minority women in India constitute one of the most deprived groups who are unable to fully enjoy their equal rights. Their deprivation and vulnerability derives from the following sources: 1) Cultural and Religious, 2) Legal, 3) Socio-Economic and Educational The status of women in the country, particularly those from the disadvantaged sections of the society, is unfavourable. A girl child suffers from discrimination even before birth and also after birth in the allocation of household resources such as food, education, access to health care and at puberty, sometimes coerced into early marriage. Most women in the rural areas suffer from double burden of carrying out less quantifiable work like cooking, fetching water, sending children to school along with agriculture labour, feeding cattle, milking cows etc., while the men folk perform defined activities like selling milk and grains produced by the household. Women in the minority communities fare badly too. They are not just a minority, but the 'marginalized majority' and are sidelined in decision making in the family, and usually cut off from full involvement in the workings of the community and form an equal share in the rewards from social institutions. Although women are not a statistical minority, as in most societies, they are roughly equal in number to men, but do qualify as a minority group in the sense of having less power and privileges than men. Underlying this unequal treatment of women is sexism, which is
discrimination, based on gender and in the context of a patriarchal society, discrimination against women in particular. Discrimination against women is evident in a number of different spheres of society. Although women have made great strides in gaining access to education and employment, to this day, they continue to face significant hurdles that men generally do not confront. Issues commonly associated with notions of women's rights include, though are not limited to, the right to bodily integrity and autonomy; vote (suffrage); hold public office; work; fair wages or equal pay; own property; be educated; serve in the military or be conscripted; enter into legal contracts; and to have marital, parental, and religious rights. 1.2 Objective of the study The major objective of the scheme for leadership development of minority women, including their neighbours from other communities living in the same village/locality is to embolden and empower minority women thereby building a society with leadership traits. To empower and install confidence in women, by providing knowledge, tools and techniques for interacting with Government systems, banks and other institutions at all levels To decrease the non-availability of infrastructure and services related to relating to civil or basic amenities and socio-economic conditions To strengthen the leadership qualities in women, minority group in particular through group building activities 1.3 About Organization Ramky Foundation is the not-for-profit affiliate of Ramky Group and is registered under the Trust Act, Andhra Pradesh, Reg. No 412/06-IV. The Foundation emphasizes the credo Towards Sustainable Growth. Since its inception in 2006, Ramky Foundation has been proactively promoting the public interest by encouraging community growth and development, and voluntarily eliminating practices that harm the public sphere. With emphasis on four thrust areas - Natural resource management, Women empowerment, Education and Health, the Foundation is growing by leaps and bounds with definite
strategies including successful collaborations with different government and nongovernment agencies and mobilising additional resources to widen the interventions. Women empowerment through capacity building and training thereby hand holding them until a stage of self sustainable status is attained is the prime objective of Ramky Foundation. Ramky Foundation has trained 1100 trainees through 33 Skill Development Projects during the last 3 years. Vennela Rural Mart and Sri Adarsha mutually aided cooperative society are the 2 women producer organizations established and run by the women who are trained under the Ramky Foundation programs. Methodology 1.4 Selection of Beneficiaries The neighbouring 5 villages of Narasaraopet with a significant population of minorities are selected for training. The selected 125 trainees are from below poverty line and of Muslim community. Muslim women are restricted to go out of house and training for 6 days is out of reach thinking. Ramky Foundation through its man power and grass root level existence and influence in Narasaraopet area could mobilize minority women. The response from the communities is sky-scraping and we had to filter the women in order reduce the number of trainees. Each trainee is tested on capability to read and write. As per the guidelines of Ministry of Minority Affairs, care is taken to avoid illiterates; the minimum education qualification for the trainees is class 10. However in each group of 25 members, not less than 50 percent are of class 12. Women with enthusiasm and willingness to dedicate them self to work for the betterment of the women of their community and a dream to become a community based leader/ trainer to other women of the community are an added criterion for selection of trainees. 1.5 Accommodation The training is residential mode and proper care is taken to ensure Safety and Privacy of the 125 women and the Trainers. Ramky Foundation has appointed an Accommodation in charge to take care of the basic amenities and food during the 6 day stay of trainees. A special warden and watchman are appointed to ensure safety of trainees.
Fig 1: Accommodation Facility 1.6 Food Care is taken to ensure food quality. The District Minority Welfare Officer (DMWO) has personally checked on the quality of the food served. During his visits on Opening ceremony and further inspections, the DMWO has taken lunch at the training centre and examined the quality of Snacks provided. Fig 2: Food Provided
1.7 Trainers Muslim Women, coming out of houses i. e. taking initiative is the primary trait of a Leader. Ramky Foundation has planned the training module to assess the existing leadership traits and to foster them in order to turn these women into a Leader. Leader in the context of the training doesn t mean the women to become political leaders. The basic objective of the training is to install and develop confidence in women by empowering them. Not knowing how to use a Bank account or how to pay electricity bill would really make a women minority. When she is filled with little knowledge and awareness of the technological advancement that eases her work, she would turn into a power unit who construct the next generation. The belief of Ministry of Minority Affairs and Ramky Foundation that if we develop leadership traits in women, then the society with strong and devoted vision would be built Sync with each. Ramky Foundation has taken care to develop these basic leadership qualities through participatory mode of teachings. The sessions are planned in such a way that the every woman is involved in the session actively and carry home lot of experience and confidence with them. The trainers are chosen to cover all the topics in the proposed module. Topics such as different Governmental schemes available for the uplift of Minorities, Investment, Safe Drinking water, Electric department facilities, Income Management and Savings, Time Management are emphasised by experienced trainers. The feedback given by the trainees on the occasion of Valedictory is heart touching testimonies of the change the program has brought in them Fig 3: Feedback given by Trainee
1.8 Training Technique The training used audio-visual aids and case studies for making it more interesting and comprehensible. Qualities of leadership like organizational capacity, communicable skill, self development and articulation, communication and public speaking, organizing capabilities, negotiation and conflict resolutions etc. are integral part of the training. Group discussions are incorporated in the training modules to encourage active participation. The official functionaries, from national bank and electricity department and investment agencies are invited to speak on their schemes and programmes. The interaction between trainers and the women undergoing training has resulted in bridging the gap of reach to government authorities. Fig 4: Group Activities 1.9 Training Material The training included distribution of training material. This training material eases the women to have access to various governmental schemes available for below poverty line (BPL) families and minorities in particular. All the modules covered during the training are made into a book let form and is distributed to the trainees.
The training material included work sheets to assess the increase in the perception and application levels of the trainees. The material would help the women to self asses the inherent qualities and rejuvenate with a new energy. Fig 5: Material distribution 1.10 Appreciation Ramky Foundation has conducted inter batch competitions and indentified top 10 performers of the training program, 2 toppers from each of the batch. These top 10 performers were honoured with prizes. The appreciation given to the top performers would increase positive competitive spirit in the participants.
Fig 6: Prize distribution 1.11 GPS Photos The whole training program of 6 day is captured with GPS enabled mobile phone, as per the guidelines of Ministry of Minority Affairs. All important activities of the training programme such as address by faculty, government functionaries, lunch being provided, usage of audiovisual equipments, submitting petitions for redressal of grievances/problems faced, workshop being conducted are covered using a GPS enabled Mobile phone. 1.12 Organizational website update The website of Ramky Foundation has been updated with the GPS photos of all the important activities of the training program. The commencement of the 6 day training program is informed to the District Minority Welfare Officer (DMWO) and the same is updated in the organizational website along with the sanction letter. Please visit http://www.ramkyfoundation.org/latests/index.aspx for the updates on Trainings for Leadership Development of Minority Women at Narasaraopet in collaboration with Ministry of Minority Affairs. 1.13 Successful Completion of the Program/ Feedback Over completion of the 6 day training program, a Successful completion of program/ feedback form is collected from each of the beneficiaries. All the trainees have expressed heartfelt gratitude to Ministry of Minority Affairs and Ramky Foundation. The feedback given by the trainees on the occasion of Valedictory is heart touching testimonies of the change the program has brought in them